Free Tears of Leyden by Naomi Baysinger-Ott Page B

you to spend every bit of money upon me,” I say it remembering my proper respect and a lady’s poise.
    Though, half to my sorry, he is not listening. “I will have to come up with a plan through the streets and rides and contacts…” he turns away from me, leaving behind his low murmur, also leaving the hanging feeling of the weight tying me to him now. For now I cannot go. Not after he has left me here, without chains tying me to the foundation of his house, or interdiction of the door at my back. Not after he has left me without being harmed, not after he has left me undoubtedly with trust, tying me here with intangible cuffs.
    That evening I move quietly towards his shelf of books, wanting nothing more than to find something suitable to put me to a calm sleep and keep me in a drowse throughout the rest of the night, and doubting upon finding such in maps and heroism. Scanning the shelves I find that my eyes land on what seems to be a dusty old journal, a few maps of some sort, a few old poetry papers, and some bound books of the newer kind. Reaching out, I withdraw one of these.
    “I suspect you shall not find what you wish inside that one.”
    I look up quickly, turning my gaze to the left to find him standing within his hallway doorway, leaning lightly upon the frame. “Her books tend to carry thick information on weaponry and the nursing laws from last year…and the slight physiology of the body discovered by her husband, who is a politician for the King and a respected surgeon…” it takes me a moment to process his words. “With rights, of course, to write such things in copies for us militia.” Understanding how this was not meant for me, I silently reshelf it to its place.
    “If you are interested in such you may read it, it is just, I find, somewhat frustrating and…tedious.”
    I do not respond a moment, then I turn. “You will be going then, tomorrow morning?”
    He steps to lean against the shelf instead, not looking at me. “Yes.”
    It takes everything that is left inside me to voice the question, but I manage to let it out. “It isn’t safe for you to go…is it?” I have to know; need to know if it is true that he takes no benefit from it other than my peace of mind.
    He looks at me and those ocean blue eyes are somewhat curious. I do not break the gaze, I must not or else it would show how weak I feel in this moment.
    “No, but I considered that already.”
    It is calm and honest, and I can’t tell if it scares me more than it gladdens me. I look down to the ground space between us and am thankful there is this much of it. “I like poetry.”
    I can tell he is still watching me, but I can’t tell if I want him to or not. “I do too.”
    I look up and find him watching me as I thought he would be. “Am I staying alone?”
    He takes a second to answer. “I have a friend, who will watch you. He is different from me, but he is not unkind.”
    I watch him suddenly alert. He?
    He sees my pale face and understands. “You can stay in my room if that would make it better. He will be left to stay out of it.”
    I still watch him. I know I couldn’t have hoped for freedom, but secretly I had. I nod slightly, realizing I liked this option better than being in the same house and the same room as an unknown Spanish soldier. I breathe once deeply and look to the floor.
    “You should get to bed.”
    It is quiet, and it takes me a moment to register he is speaking to me. I look up and read his eyes a little longer, before I nod and step towards the route to his room.

Chapter 10
     
     
    I have been here sitting in his room at least a quarter of an hour. Nadeje left at the same time I trapped myself in here away from the man. I estimate that Nadeje should return soon. At least I hope.
    The man, Arturo as Nadeje calls him, stepped inside the house casually enough that quarter of an hour ago, but by the way I had to turn my chin up to look into his face far above me, and by his well-built height,